DIY Beer Line Cleaner

[evandena]

Working on it, Ordered some hex bar stock.

Awesome! I would love to be your first product tester. Not a bad idea to patent it either

Please keep me updated.

 

[lincoln]

ya, not a patentable kind of thing. Well you can patent anything, its defending the patent that is the trick. Also since chi company already has an adapter for cheaper than I can make them for. Not sure if it has any value. but i think i can make a three piece so that you don't have to wast a good post to make a cleaner....

 

[evandena]

ya, not a patentable kind of thing. Well you can patent anything, its defending the patent that is the trick. Also since chi company already has an adapter for cheaper than I can make them for. Not sure if it has any value. but i think i can make a three piece so that you don't have to wast a good post to make a cleaner....

Ahh that's an actual company name. Haha

Well let me know any pricing or time frame for your all in one. I don't mind waiting. Thanks.

 

[evandena]

I have a working pin lock version. All I did was get a pin lock post and a fitting that had the same sized thread to 1/2" barb from chi company. Was a little more expensive than a HD or Lowes fitting, but did the trick.

Which catalog number for the barb part?

 

[abarnett]

Just built one tonight. Sorry if this is a repeat, but I haven't seen the parts list for the 1/4" MFL style connection (instead of Firestone post and disconnect).

Flo-master sprayer (56HD) $6.98
Watts 3/8 FIP x 1/4 FIP coupling (LFA-765) $4.30
Watts 1/4 MIP X 1/4 MFL (A-80) $1.76

Total: $13.04, plus tax

I was trying for a one piece 3/8 FIP X 1/4 MFL, but that isn't made or wasn't in stock.

I reused the larger gasket from inside the green plastic tip, and it's holding pressure and the trigger works.

 

[geniz]

This is a perfect solution for pin locks and those who can't find a Firestone post.

Well done. Thanks

 

[grendelrt]

I was thinking of going this way, I havent tried but can you remove the nozzle with the hose still attached from the liquid post? Cause if I have to take the hose off, which is a pain in the ass I may just go full post instead.

Just built one tonight. Sorry if this is a repeat, but I haven't seen the parts list for the 1/4" MFL style connection (instead of Firestone post and disconnect).

Flo-master sprayer (56HD) $6.98
Watts 3/8 FIP x 1/4 FIP coupling (LFA-765) $4.30
Watts 1/4 MIP X 1/4 MFL (A-80) $1.76

Total: $13.04, plus tax

I was trying for a one piece 3/8 FIP X 1/4 MFL, but that isn't made or wasn't in stock.

I reused the larger gasket from inside the green plastic tip, and it's holding pressure and the trigger works.

 

[geniz]

I was thinking of going this way, I havent tried but can you remove the nozzle with the hose still attached from the liquid post? Cause if I have to take the hose off, which is a pain in the ass I may just go full post instead.

Not sure I understand the question

 

[grendelrt]

Not sure I understand the question

On a pin lock liquid post that has the quick disconnect, it would be the post, then a nut with a barbed end inside it. The hose would be on the barbed end with the nut, I was curious if you can remove the nut and disconnect the barbed end with hose still attached. Since removing the hose off the barbed end is such a pain in the butt.

 

[zachattack]

On a pin lock liquid post that has the quick disconnect, it would be the post, then a nut with a barbed end inside it. The hose would be on the barbed end with the nut, I was curious if you can remove the nut and disconnect the barbed end with hose still attached. Since removing the hose off the barbed end is such a pain in the butt.

Yes, that's why people use MFL connections (aka "swivel nuts"). You get a barb to MFL adapter that you leave with the tubing, then you get your disconnects with MFL fittings instead of barbs. Then you can move tubing around without yanking it off the barb. Also if you get a Sankey coupler with MFL fittings you can easily swap between commercial and homebrew.

 

[grendelrt]

Yes, that's why people use MFL connections (aka "swivel nuts"). You get a barb to MFL adapter that you leave with the tubing, then you get your disconnects with MFL fittings instead of barbs. Then you can move tubing around without yanking it off the barb. Also if you get a Sankey coupler with MFL fittings you can easily swap between commercial and homebrew.

Ok cool, i havent actually taken one apart yet, they are all in my keezer. I wasnt sure if there was enough room to remove the nuts with the hose on, thanks for the response =)

 

[DubbelDach]

Not going to clutter this up with pics, but I built one of these to the OP's specs and it is FANTASTIC!!! Great solution for bypassing the whole "push a keg full of sanitizer through with your CO2" issue. Especially since I like to pump Oxyclean through, then chase it with Starsan. Pump 50 ounces of one, then just refil quick with the other.

 

[DubBrew]

I built this and push blc with it. What a great solution. My lines will be cleaned far more often now. I pump a whole container through each line which cleanness them nicely then I follow with water and or sanitizer.

Quick and easy.

 

[LandoLincoln]

All this thread needs is a formula for actual beer line cleaner. Anybody have any ideas for that, other than buying commercial stuff?

 

[Hang Glider]

Well, with 2/5 tbsp making a quart of cleaner, my concentrate is 5 years old and only 3/4 used up, so the "real" stuff is pretty economical IMHO.

 

[evandena]

Anyone know if Menards sells a pump with the correct fitting?

 

[cincybrewer]

Since I like my first one so much, I'm thinking about making one or two more in order to always keep the same liquid in them. Does anyone know it would ruin the container if you stored starsan and BLC in them for an extended period of time?

 

[63belair]

Just read through the entire thread, excellent stuff and thanks again to geniz for posting this build.

I plan on getting the required parts this weekend and throwing it together, provided I can find them all. Unfortunately (in this case) I recently moved to Alberta Canada for work, and the local home depots do not appear to carry the flo-master HD56 sprayer. (USA home depot only has it for in store pick up, no shipping...everything is 100x more difficult in Canada). However, the Canadian Home Depot carries a different model flo-master sprayer (2.5 pint).

Does anyone know if this will work with the firestone post?

Cheers!

http://www.homedepot.ca/product/sprayer-mister-25-pints-translucent-white-polyethylene-tank/310114

 

[elganso]

From 100 feet, it looks like it could be the same sprayer head, but YMMV. When I purchased the US one, it didn't come in a box. So, if the same story at your home depot, it'd be pretty easy to just bring a firestone post with you, unscrew the green head and see if it screws in OK before purchasing.

Although, maybe you don't want to purchase the firestone post until you get confirmation -- maybe do it the other way around; buy at HD, go to HBS, test post, return to HD if it doesn't work?

 

[63belair]

Yea, that's my plan. I called the local HB store here, they have posts for ball locks but didn't know what kind they were, so my plan is:

Go to HD, buy the A-176 coupling, see if it will fit on the sprayer, then go to the HB store (very close thankfully) and see if the other end of the coupling fits into any of their posts.

Cross your fingers!

 

[geniz]

Yea, that's my plan. I called the local HB store here, they have posts for ball locks but didn't know what kind they were, so my plan is:

Go to HD, buy the A-176 coupling, see if it will fit on the sprayer, then go to the HB store (very close thankfully) and see if the other end of the coupling fits into any of their posts.

Cross your fingers!

Please be sure to let us know if it worked, if it didn't, or how you made it work. Take pics if you can

 

[dahray02]

great thread, i'm gonna build this today

 

[63belair]

Mixed bag of results, hd had the a176 coupling, but no sprayers. I'll try another one this weekend. LHBS didn't have any spare Firestone posts for sale, but we took apart a Firestone keg they had and confirmed it fit in the a176 perfectly.

Stay tuned!

 

[Yambor44]

You can also just screw the Firestone straight onto the sprayers threads after removing the OEM nozzle. There's no need for the adapter unless you want to use another type of post.

 

[dahray02]

followed instructions in OP, worked like a charm...now all i need to do is build my keezer lol

 

[Hang Glider]

followed instructions in OP, worked like a charm...

Yeah..now if only the death-ray & laser forums were this good....

 

[geniz]

Yeah..now if only the death-ray & laser forums were this good....

Working on it, but having a hard time finding the correct Firestone/death ray adapter

 

[shroomzofdoom]

Am I the only one that noticed that the threads on the Flomaster are not 3/8" FIP like the ones on the A-176 part? Tried threading it and realized they were different. The threads on the sprayer seem to be more like 3/8" compression fitting threads.

 

[geniz]

Am I the only one that noticed that the threads on the Flomaster are not 3/8" FIP like the ones on the A-176 part? Tried threading it and realized they were different. The threads on the sprayer seem to be more like 3/8" compression fitting threads.

Mine fit just fine. If the sprayer nozzle is a 3/8 compression, the firestone should fit right on without the adaptor. I've heard of some people that have had thread issues, but I didnt experience it when I built the original.

 

[milesvdustin]

I built mine exactly like the original last night. Works awesome! I thought that I would have to press the lever on the sprayer to get it to flow, but the flow starts as soon as I open the tap. Either way, works wonders!